Can-opener



(No Model.)

J. P. FRENCH.

CAN OPENER.

No. 889,298. Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

\NI NESSES, LNJENTD N. PETERS. mum n w. Walhingmn. n. c.

UNITED STATES JOSIAH F. FRENCH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,293, dated September 11, 1888.

Application filed September 23, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSIAH F. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residingat Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful OanOpener, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to improvements in can-openers; and it consists of a convenientlyformed can-opener having a single blade at its end,with a guide of or nearly of the same length as the blade parallel to and a short distance from the blade, and having side pieces on each side of the blade, the parts of these side pieces between the guide and the blade acting as fulcrums when the can-opener is inserted in a can. These side pieces have projections which extend beyond the blade on each side of the blade and act as guards to prevent the top of the can rising and interfering with or cutting the operator by means of the rough cut edges of the top of the can when the can is partially opened.

The object of my invention is to provide a compact. simple, and efficient can opener which will remove the danger to the operator of being cut by the top of the can springing up when the can-opener is in use, and at the same time insuring the cutting of the can near the edge. In order to provide a more certain acting fulcrum and to avoid the slipping so common in can-openers, I prefer to construct that portion of the side pieces between the knife and the guide concave, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. I may also put upon it a sharp edge, in which case the slipping is absolutely avoided; but I do not intend to limit myself to the use of a concave or sharpened fulcrum. I attain these objects by construct ing the can-opener as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the entire can-opener. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view showing the pointed blade and guide beneath the side pieces, the projections in the side pieces beyond, the handle and blade being broken off. Fig. 3 is an end view showing the side pieces with the projections, the guide above, and the blade below. Figs. 4 and 5 show views with blade removed, showing eoncave fulcrum and sharpened fulcrum.

Serial No. 250,529. (No model.)

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The handle A, the guide E, and the side pieces, L L, may be madein one piece. The pointed blade D is secured to the main piece A E L by means of a bolt, B B, (shown in Fig. 8.) The guide E may have upon its lower surface a slight projection, F, to form a closer joint when the blade D is inserted in a can.

The operation of the can-opener is as follows: Vhen the can-opener is inserted in the top of the can, the guide E, being equal in length with the blade D,must necessarily be without the can in order that the blade may enter, and, the distance between the guide and the blade being snralhthebladeD mustcutaround the can at or near the edge of the can, and consequently the blade D makes a regularshaped orifice. Similarly, if the blade D be inserted in the side of the can, the guide E, resting in the top of the can, will cause the blade to cut off the top of the can very neatly and without destroying the sides of the can.

It can readily be seen that if the blade D be inserted in the can the part K of the side piece, L, will always rest on the can, and when the handle A is pressed down the part K will act as a fulcrum, enabling the operator to exert greater force on the blade, and consequently to cut through the can with greater case, than if the handle itself or the blade it self were compelled to act as thepivotal point; and if the part K be made concave or sharpened it will bite into the metal and form a fixed fulcrum. The projections O C of the side pieces, L, have an edge inclined slightly away from the pointed end of the blade. The projection O,iu cutting open the top of the can, keeps the top,when partially out, from rising up. Of course, when the incision is made in the side of the can,the projecting guards O are unnecessary and perform no function. It is obvious that as there are two side pieces, L, and two projections (J, and as the blade I) is pointed and has two sharpened edges, the can-opener can be used as readily by a left-handed person as by a right-handed person.

Having now fully described my invention, what .I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

In a can-opener, in combination, a pointed blade attached to a handle, a guide parallel to and at an angle to the plane of the blade, suband a short distance from the said blade and stantially as shown and described.

extending substantially the whole length of said blade, and a side piece between the said JOSIAH FRENCH 5 blade and said guide, said side piece being con- WVitnesses:

structed concave and a projection located at BUTLER KENNER HARDING, the fixed end of the blade extending beyond R. M. HUNTER. 

